San Antonio’s Food Truck Phenomenon

Over the last five years, San Antonio has gone from culinary afterthought to veritable dining destination, with a progressive food truck scene serving as pace car.

“At first, people would read ‘Pakistani,’ make a face, and walk away,” says Sameer Siddiqui, who admits to handing out a lot of free samples when he started his halal food truck, Rickshaw Stop, in 2011. That was back when San Antonio didn’t have much of a food truck scene outside of smoked meats trailers.

Along with Keith Hill from KHILL BBQ Company, Siddiqui formed the San Antonio Food Truck Association, which now boasts more than 40 members. “I’ve rediscovered my own city and different neighborhoods through the food truck,” he adds. “I like to think we’ve opened people’s minds to ethnic food and helped remove the ‘roach coach’ stigma.” Siddiqui can take pride in that even as Rickshaw Stop closes after five years in business.